Finding soul rest

When was the last time you got real rest? Not sleep, but true soul rest. We are presented with the idea of soul rest in Matthew 11:28-30,

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

Glynnis Whitwer says soul rest is something that God desires for everyone. However, many of us don’t experience soul rest on a regular basis because we’re too busy trying to find rest through accomplishment.

“Jesus wasn’t trying to get people a vacation; a physical break from work. He wanted to get us to a place where we truly rest in Him.”

What does it mean to find true soul rest in God?

“I’ve come to realize that for me, I find soul rest when I am able to really trust that my safety is in God’s hands.”

Before, Gylnnis admits that she was always trying to manage her physical safety and the physical safety of her children. Deep down, she knew that she couldn’t.

“I was afraid of flying for almost five years. It just kept getting worse, until the Lord revealed to me that I was placing my trust in the pilot to keep me safe. Or I would look to see what the weather conditions were going to be where I was taking off and landing. If those felt good, I felt good.”

Glynnis realized she had been putting her trust in something other than God – and it created anxiety. Further on, she realized this was a pattern throughout her life.

“Say I wanted to get another book contract. If I put my future in the hands of the publisher, that would always make me insecure. But if I realized that it was really in God’s hands and trusted that He is in control, something happens. I don’t have to strive anymore. It’s not up to me. My future is not in someone else’s hands anymore, it’s truly in the hands of the Lord.”

Glynnis Whitwer, executive director of communication for Proverbs 31 Ministries, is a regular contributor to Encouragement for Today, the Proverbs 31 email devotional, reaching over a million women each day. She is the author of I Used to Be So Organized, and Work@home, and the coauthor of Everyday Confetti.